The freezing temperatures took center stage during Saturday’s Kansas City Chiefs’ 26-7 victory over the Miami Dolphins. Head coach Andy Reid and his group are heading to the divisional round as they await their opponent and destination next week.
The offense led by Patrick Mahomes and his fantastic chemistry with rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice dominated the Miami secondary. Isiah Pacheco handled business on the ground, powering through the Dolphins’ defense and making their tacklers suffer in the cold weather. Harrison Butker continues to take his game to another level in postseason play as he nailed multiple field goals amidst the challenging weather elements.
The defense was stingy and overpowered the Dolphins’ offense, which couldn’t get in rhythm. George Karlaftis and Trent McDuffie were both drafted in the 2022 class and have elevated their game to star levels and displayed it throughout Saturday’s victory. The secondary was led by L’Jarius Sneed, and a big takeaway from Mike Edwards made Tyreek Hill’s return to Arrowhead Stadium difficult.
The Chiefs face the probability of traveling to Orchard Park, New York, to battle the Buffalo Bills next week if they can defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday. A Steeler’s upset victory would guarantee Arrowhead Stadium hosting the divisional round against the Houston Texans.
Here’s a look at how the stock is trending for some players after the Wild Card victory at freezing Arrowhead Stadium:
Stock Up: Patrick Mahomes
The scrambles and pushing through with a broken helmet are new additions to Mahomes’ growing legacy of unbelievable moments. He closed the game with 262 yards, passing for a touchdown and running for 41 yards.
Stock Up: Rashee Rice
It was an incredible postseason debut for the rookie wide receiver, tallying over 100 yards receiving on the night. The new Chiefs rookie playoff record holder finished with eight catches for 130 yards and a touchdown.
Stock Up: Harrison Butker
The absurdly cold temperature didn’t affect the efficiency of Butler, who was perfect on his attempts Saturday. He finished with four field goals, proving the most reliable option on offense in the red zone.
Stock Up: Travis Kelce
The opportunity to rest during the last week of the season has proven fruitful for Kelce, as he performed admirably on Saturday. Kelce ended the game with seven catches for 71 yards, mainly helping to move the offense in the first half.
Stock Up: George Karlaftis
The tremendous regular season performance for Karlaftis carried over into the wild card game. He applied pressure on the Dolphins’ passing attack, collecting two sacks.
Stock Up: Isiah Pacheco
The cold weather called for more carries for the bruising Pacheco, who terrified Dolphins defenders all night. Running angry again, Pacheco finished with 89 yards on 24 carries and a touchdown.
Stock Down: Jawaan Taylor
Taylor was once again the culprit of two significant penalties on Saturday. One controversial block in the back penalty negated a touchdown for Rashee Rice.
